Sherry had turned her life around. She had been homeless, living on the streets. Now, she was working at a fast food restaurant, paying rent, and enjoying her neighbors at the Anna Louise Inn. Life was good, particularly good for someone who had come so far.
Then she got sick, and the restaurant where she worked cut her hours. She tried working more and more, but her doctor told her not to. She had to get well first. But how was she going to pay her rent? She didn’t want to end up on the streets again.
Thankfully, Cincinnati Union Bethel received a grant in July from The Women’s Fund of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation to provide rental assistance to residents at the Anna Louise Inn. Because the staff at the Anna Louise Inn know the residents and form relationships with them, theyknew that Sherry hadn’t been well. And she felt comfortable sharing her situation so that we could provide a week’s worth of rent so that Sherry could heal and stay healthy when she went back to work.
A week’s worth of rent may not seem like a lot – a mere $60 – but to Sherry, it meant the difference between keeping her job and keeping her home.
Sherry is not the only resident who has received rental assistance, and surely others will be helped as we get closer to winter and the holiday season. We want to thank The Women’s Fund for providing this opportunity to our residents.